Niseko Now: Thursday 20th February 2014
- Feb 20, 2014
- 3 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 3cm
Snowfall at base this season 997cm
Posted on Thursday 20th February 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
It is a cold and snowing morning here in the Niseko area.
There's not much to report yet in terms of cm - less than 5cm - but it will probably building up during the day.
What's better is that this morning there is much less wind about and all of the mountain seems prepared to be open including the top lifts. There's lots of excited people already lined up for those first lifts getting up there right now. Looks like peak gates will be open as well. Visibility isn't the best, don't get too carried away and take care!
Snowfall, maybe on and off, forecast over today and the next few days and keeping cold.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Niseko base 6am: -8C, 5cm of fresh in the past 12 hours. Moiwa 800m: mild wind and 10cm of fresh. Annupuri 1150m: mild wind, -13C, 3cm of fresh. Hirafu 1000m: mild wind, 3cm of fresh, calm weather. Peak 1308m: NW3.0m/s, -12.9C. 12:00 forecast: NW10m/s. Coastal data: Benkei cape NNW7m/s, Kamui cape W4m/s, 1.4m waves, 1019hPa.
The isobars are spacing out, making the wind and snowdrift development calm down. The snowpack is stabilizing. Peak gates will open from the morning. A small avalanche occurred in 800m lower Annupuri bowl (O-sawa) middle-ridge yesterday, one skier got buried but been rescued safely. Avalanche hazard remains considerable in some areas today. Better not traverse open steep slopes such as the Backbowl’s sidewalls. Falling cornices, traversing slopes or stimulating knolls could all trigger a slide. Most cases, people get buried in avalanches triggered by someone else. If you trigger a slide, you’re not only putting yourself in danger but others that are below you.
Cracks are hiding under newly formed snowdrifts. Be especially careful in Moiwa bowl and Higashi-One. Do not duck ropes. Be prepared with avy-gear and use the gates to step out of bounds. Guides and leaders are responsible for their group’s safety. Have a nice day.
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Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing:
Grand Hirafu / Hanazono:
Top - 380cm
Base - 180cm
Niseko Village:
Top - 360cm
Base - 215cm
Annupuri:
Top - 330cm
Base - 210cm
Niseko Now 2013-2014 season |
Data as of Thursday 20th February 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 997cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 76 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (14th January) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 461cm reported on 29 days February 2014 snowfall 138cm reported on 16 days |
All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Kutchan/Niseko. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report.